To celebrate the holidays, Rick Mantei is participating in Wreaths Across America to remember our fallen heroes. In the midst of the wonderful chaos that surrounds this time of year, Rick Mantei and his staff are doing their part to commemorate those who have served our country.

This year’s Wreaths Across America is taking place at noon December 19 at Fort Jackson National Cemetery in Columbia.

Wreaths Across America, a nonprofit program, was founded by Morrill Worcester, owner of Worcester Wreath Company, in 1992. That year, he took his company’s surplus wreaths to Arlington National Cemetery and placed them on infrequently visited graves. Since then, the program has grown and gained support across the country, as American citizens have eagerly rallied to its simple yet powerful mission statement: “Remember. Honor. Teach.”

Through volunteer networks and civic organizations, Wreaths Across America arranges wreath-laying ceremonies at thousands of locations in the United States and abroad, including the sites of the September 11, 2001, tragedies.

In South Carolina, you can participate in this expanding tradition to honor the men and women who served our country. Wreaths Across America is seeking the public’s support to make its ceremony at Fort Jackson possible. The group has sponsorships for 90% of the Remembrance wreaths it hope to place at the cemetery but still needs 848 wreaths.

You can help by sponsoring Remembrance wreaths, and you can volunteer to help in the service. For more information, go to wreathsacrossamerica.org to learn more, and click “Sponsor Wreaths” to contribute.